Simple Loyalty
by Merciful Heavens
Summary: Lynne Kresge's fate was forgotten by the writers of 24...I have decided to rectify that... Please review...


_Author's note--I have watched seasons 1-5 in 24 and though I can say without even thinking that I really don't care for it all that much…I do like some of its characters…Lynne Kresge was one of them..._

_As you all know or should know…her fate was forgotten by the writers of 24 and few have depicted what happened to her, even though there are rumors that she might return in the 7 season-yeah right!_

_So without further ado…the story…_

**-Loyalty- **

Darkness consumed the woman who lay still on her bed. She could hear the sounds around her but had no idea where she was or how she had gotten there. Her mind was tangled from the memories and pain that were sweeping over her and for a brief moment of time, she just wanted to go to sleep and never wake. Then there was the memory that turned into an image in her mind.

She had fallen from the top of a stair well landing; pushed would have better described how she had ended up on the floor, but that was irreverent. Mike Novich had been the reason. _Mike Novich_…she had always trusted and admired him. What had happened to him? How he could have gone against his president and friend, David Palmer, was beyond her comprehension. Didn't friendship and loyalty still exist? But in her condition no one would have faulted her for thinking it didn't.

Emergency medical had rushed her to the ambulance to take her to the hospital. Someone had called for the president; if she had been able she would have hugged that thoughtful person. All her energy and strength had gone into waiting for President Palmer to arrive. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, he had arrived. She had felt better almost as soon as she saw him. Others would lie to her, trick her and hurt her, but never him. Her loyalty to him was absolute and he knew it.

She had heard Mike try to keep the president from trying to talk to her. Rage mixed with a confusing amount of fear had assaulted her; the fear that he would succeed. But he hadn't and the president had spoken to her. At first his words were hard to make out as she had been trying to hard to listen. But after a while she had heard him.

"…we're getting you to the hospital. But I need you to tell how this happened." Panic had risen in her as she heard herself whimpering and gasping instead of speaking. How could she not be able to speak! All she had to say were three words: Mike did it. She had suddenly felt overwhelmed as she found those three words beyond her ability to utter.

And yet the president had listened so very intently, silencing all around him so that he could hear her. His words of encouragement had helped her greatly with her trepidation that he might give up and have them take her to the hospital. Then out of the corner of her blurry sight, she had seen Mike. An idea had formed slowly but surely in her mind and mustering all her strength she had lifted her shaking finger to point at the guilty man. The president hadn't seen it yet; but she had been so certain he would.

Suddenly she had felt and seen two hands wrap around her accusing hand. Mike had dared pretend to comfort her. His words had long been forgotten but the action itself was embedded deep into her memory. She would never forgive him for stopping her from warning the president. Never.

Reality was empty and cold. Her memory of the day before was at best fuzzy. Sometimes she hardly even knew who she was. Then in a painful jolt it would return to her all at once and she would yearn to be able to return and help the president. But she couldn't even move; and therefore couldn't do anything. The feeling of being useless was overwhelming.

She felt tears begin to lazily trickle down her cheeks and was surprised at best when she felt someone wipe them away. Her heavy eyelids opened slowly and the bright light assaulted her. But the smiling face that met her eyes made up for the discomfort of the light.

"We know, Lynne. He didn't get away with it." The statement was music to her ears.

"He. Didn't. Get. Away." She croaked haltingly. A strong hand wrapped around hers.

"No, Lynne. And we found the bomb in time and I am still president."

"Still!" She tried to sit up but only managed to cause pain to shoot up her sides. "Still?"

"They tried to remove me but it failed. Thank you for trying to warn me."

She nodded but said nothing. She had tried to warn him; but had failed. _Mike had also failed._

Suddenly her failure seemed justified. A small smile lit her face and she closed her eyes to sleep. She would recover; and return to her president's side. Life had meaning once more and her future seemed hopeful.

-The Possible End-

**Please review as it would be nice to know whether or not this story was even worth posting…if I receive no reviews…the story will be deleted…**


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